Kristian Ferrell
In badminton, it is crucial to be in the ready position to prepare for your opponent's next move. The ready position is the stance you want to reach before your opponent hits the shuttlecock. This position varies depending on whether you are playing singles or doubles and the circumstances of the rally. A basic ready position involves a wide stance, with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, and your knees bent to lower your weight and allow you to move in any direction. Your weight should be shifted forward onto the balls of your toes. The racket should be held out in front of you, away from your body, typically at waist height, but higher when attacking and lower when defending. It should be kept at eye level or at least at the height of the net.
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What You'll Learn
- Racket position: Waist height, higher when attacking, and lower when defending
- Footwork: Adopt a wide stance, with feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart
- Weight distribution: Lowered weight, with knees bent, and shifted forward onto the balls of the toes
- Court positioning: Stand close to the centre, slightly closer to the net than the baseline
- Arm placement: Hold the racket in front, away from the body, with the non-racket arm balancing the other
Racket position: Waist height, higher when attacking, and lower when defending
The ideal racket position in badminton depends on the situation. Typically, you should hold your racket at waist height, but you should adjust it higher or lower depending on your strategy and your opponent's moves.
When preparing to attack, hold your racket higher than waist height. This is especially useful when trying to intercept your opponent's bad shots, such as when you do a good drop and your opponent does a mediocre lift.
On the other hand, when defending, lower your racket below waist height. This is because, when defending, you need to face the net directly to easily cover a range of smashes from your opponent. Holding your racket lower when defending also helps lower your centre of gravity, providing a stable base and enabling faster movement.
It is important to note that your racket position should not be too low, dangling near your ankles. Additionally, the racket should be held in a neutral position, not biased towards the forehand or backhand side, to give you the greatest number of options to reply and limit your opponent's potential winning shots.
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Footwork: Adopt a wide stance, with feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart
Footwork is an important aspect of badminton, and adopting the right stance can help you prepare for your opponent's next move. To get into the ready position, start by positioning your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart. This wide stance provides a solid base and allows for better balance and stability when moving around the court.
While in this stance, you should also bend your knees slightly. This lowers your centre of gravity and helps you stay agile and responsive. Being closer to the ground means you can react quicker and move in any direction with ease. Think of it as a coiled position, ready to uncoil and spring into action.
Additionally, shift your weight forward so that you're on the balls of your toes. This weight distribution further enhances your balance and reactivity. It allows you to push off quickly and cover more ground with each step.
The wide stance is particularly important when adopting a defensive posture. Facing square to the net with a wide stance and a low racket height improves your ability to defend against your opponent's shots.
By adopting this footwork and stance, you'll be able to move more efficiently around the court and react to your opponent's moves with speed and agility.
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Weight distribution: Lowered weight, with knees bent, and shifted forward onto the balls of the toes
The ready position in badminton is the stance and position you want to reach before your opponent hits the shuttlecock. It is important to get into this position to help you get ready for the next shot.
Weight distribution plays a key role in the ready position. Lower your weight a little and bend your knees slightly. Shift your weight forward, so that you are on the balls of your toes. This does not mean that you should be perched uncomfortably on your tiptoes, leaning so far forward that you almost fall over. Instead, lean just enough to take the weight off your heels. This will prevent you from being flat-footed.
The ready position allows players to move sharply in the direction that the shuttle is travelling. To move fast, a player has to lose their balance and then recover it quickly. This is achieved by bending the knees and lowering the body, so that the player can get the power to jump higher. By losing balance, the player is using gravity and the momentum of the fall to propel themselves forward.
It is important to never come to a complete stop in badminton. Instead, stay on your toes or the balls of your feet, shuffling, skipping, or dancing lightly as you wait for your opponent's return.
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Court positioning: Stand close to the centre, slightly closer to the net than the baseline
Court positioning is an important aspect of the ready position in badminton. Ideally, you want to be standing close to the centre of the court, perhaps even slightly closer to the net than the baseline. This positioning allows you to cover more of the court and reach your opponent's shots.
When playing singles, you generally want to stand closer to the centre than you would in doubles. This is because, in singles, you are the only one covering your half of the court, so you need to be able to move quickly and efficiently to reach shots hit to different areas. In doubles, your court coverage is shared with a partner, so you can afford to stand slightly further from the centre.
Additionally, your positioning can vary depending on the circumstances of the rally. For example, if you're expecting a weak shot from your opponent, you might stand closer to the net, ready to pounce and attack. On the other hand, if you're anticipating a powerful smash, you might stand further back, giving yourself more time to react and get into position.
The ready position is all about being prepared for your opponent's next shot. By standing close to the centre, slightly forward of the baseline, you give yourself a better chance to reach shots and control the rally. This positioning allows you to quickly move forward to attack a weak shot or backward to defend a powerful shot. It's all about anticipating your opponent's moves and positioning yourself accordingly.
Remember, the ready position is not just about court positioning, but also includes your body stance and racket position. These elements work together to prepare you for your opponent's shot and allow you to execute your next move efficiently.
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Arm placement: Hold the racket in front, away from the body, with the non-racket arm balancing the other
Holding the racket in front, away from the body, with the non-racket arm balancing the other, is an important aspect of the ready position in badminton. This stance is all about being prepared for the next shot and being able to react quickly to your opponent's moves.
The racket should be held out in front of you, typically at waist height, but this can vary depending on the situation. For instance, you would hold the racket higher when attacking and lower when defending. Holding the racket in this way should give you a good range of motion and the ability to quickly change your grip if necessary.
The non-racket arm is key to maintaining balance in badminton. When performing shots, the non-racket arm should be used to balance the weight of the racket arm and the force of the swing. As you swing the racket arm, gently extend the non-racket arm forward in the opposite direction to counterbalance. Avoid swinging the non-racket arm, as this will cause you to lose balance.
It is important to keep your muscles relaxed in your non-racket arm and allow your wrist to bend upwards naturally. This will help you maintain good body balance, especially when performing mid-air strokes such as the jump smash.
Practising different grips and stances will help you find a ready position that feels comfortable and natural.
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Frequently asked questions
Your ready position is the stance you adopt before your opponent hits the shuttlecock. It's important to be in a ready position so you can react to your opponent's next shot.
Your stance will vary depending on whether you are playing singles or doubles, and the circumstances of the rally. However, as a general rule, you should take a wide stance with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and shift your weight forward so you're on the balls of your toes.
The position of your racket will depend on the situation. Generally, it should be held out in front of you, away from your body, at waist height or higher. When attacking, hold it higher, and when defending, lower it to around knee level or the middle so you can defend both sides.
Stand close to the center of the court, perhaps slightly closer to the net than the baseline.
